Paper carriage for accounting machines



March 4, 1941. w ANDERSON 2,233,971

PAPER CARRIAGE FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 26. 1940 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERJON BY ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPER CARRIAGE FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Application June 26,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to computing machines, and more particularly to a means for locking the laterally movable paper carriages thereof in adjusted position.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device that is normally effective to lock the carriage in any lateral position to which it is adjusted, and that may be readily manipulated to release the carriage for adjustment to a different position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reliably operative device of this character which is comprised of few and simple parts, adapted to be easily assembled, and inexpensive to manufacture.'

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims, and a preferred embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawing which accompanies and forms part of the specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a computing machine carriage embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a left side elevation of the locking elements in effective position, and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the locking elements in released position.

The invention is shown in connection with a hand tabulated carriage of the general character disclosed in the U. S. Patent No. 1,198,487, issued to Gustaf D. Sundstrand on September 19, 1916.

Referring to Figure 1, the carriage is generally indicated at I, and comprises a frame 2 to the ends of which are secured end plates 3 and 4. Frame 2 is mounted for sliding movement along a rail 5 supported on the machine structure 6. Anti-friction rollers (not shown), mounted between V-grooves I in rail 5 and oppositely disposed corresponding V-grooves in frame 2, permit free and easy sliding movement of the carriage along the rail. A tally roll support 8 is secured by screws II to the stationary rail 5.

The mechanism for locking the carriage in adjusted position includes a shaft I2 journaled at its ends in plates 3 and 4, the shaft constituting one of the looking elements. The left end (Figure 1) of the shaft extends through wall 3 and carries'a manipulative lever I3 having its upper end extending through a slot I4 in a casing I5 fixed by screws Hi to plate 3. A finger piece I! on the upper end of the lever facilitates adjust- 1940, Serial No. 342,549

ment. Shaft I2 passes through an opening, indicated generally at I8, in a depending arm 2| fixed on the support 8, the arm constituting the other locking element. Shaft I2 is slabbed as at 22 and 23 on opposite sides, for the entire distance between plates 3 and 4, leaving two rounded faces 24 and 25.

The upper and lower portions 26 and 21 of the 'apertureiIs are co'ncentricwith the axis of rotation'of shaft I2 and have a suflicient radius to provide clearance for the shaft. The side portions 28 and 29 of the opening are formed with diametrically opposed shoulders 32 and 33, the distance between sides 28 and 29 gradually diminishing in a counter-clockwise direction.

A spring 34, connected between lever I3 and a stud 35 in casing I5 (Figure 1) normally tensions the lever and shaft I2 counter-clockwise, causing rounded faces 24 and 25 of the shaft to wedge firmly against side portions 28 and 29 respectively (Figure 2), to normally hold the carriage securely in its adjusted position. When the operator desires to adjust the carriage to a new lateral position, it is only necessary to rock lever I3 and shaft I2 clockwise until the upper and lower portions of the slabbed faces 22 and 23, respectively, stop against shoulders 32 and 33, respectively, as shown in Figure 3, where the clearance between upper and lower portions 23 and 21 and rounded faces 24 and 25 permits lateral adjustment of the carriage to the next desired position. Immediately upon the release of lever I3 following such adjustment, spring 34 rotates shaft I2 counter-clockwise, again wedging rounded faces 24 and 25 against the side portions 23 and 29 to securely lock the carriage in its adjusted position.

It is apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a locking device that normally holds the carriage securely in adjusted position and yet which permits of ready release of the carriage for movement to a different position, and in which the parts are relatively few and simple, arranged to :cooperate in a manner to serve multiple functions, and adapted to be easily assembled. The cost of manufacture of the mechanism is thereby greatly reduced.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, having a movable carriage, mechanism forlocking the carriage in adjusted position including an element stationary on the machine frame and having an aperture, a shaft mounted on the carriage and passing through said aperture, said shaft being rotatable to two positions, means for normally urging the shaft into one of its positions, said aperture being of such configuration that when the shaft is in the position to which it is normally urged it Wedges between the confines of the aperture, and when the shaft is moved to its other position sufiicient clearance is provided between the shaft and the aperture to permit movement of the carriage.

2. In a machine of the class described, having a movable paper carriage, mechanism for locking the carriage in adjusted position, said mechanism including a stationary and a movable element, the stationary element having an aperture, the movable element passing through said aperture and being rotatable therein, the aperture being of a configuration to cooperate with said movable element and defining positions to which the movable element may be rotated, means included in the configuration of the aperture for stopping the rotation of the movable element when it is rotated in one direction in a position where clearance is provided between this element and the stationary element, means also included in the configuration of the aperture for causing said movable element to wedge itself therein when it is rotated in an opposite direction, and means normally urging the movable element in said opposite direction.

3. In a machine of the class described, having a movable paper carriage, mechanism for looking the carriage in adjusted positiomsaid mechanism including a stationary and a movable ele- 'ment, the stationary element having an aperture, the movable element passing through said aperture and being rotatable therein, the aperturebeing of a configuration to cooperate with said movavble element and defining positions to which the movable element may be rotated, means included in the configuration of the aperture for stopping the rotation of the movable element when it is rotated in one direction, in a position where clearance is provided between this element and the. stationary element, means also included in the configuration of the aperture for causing said movable element to wedge itself therein when it is rotated in an opposite direction, means normally urging the movable element in said opposite direction, and means for manipulating the movable element to said first mentioned position.

WALTER A. ANDERSON. 

